Farewell, New Beginning
by da-mouse
Summary: He has to let go, and go on...to open his heart, to feel, to love. -MikagamixFuuko-


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Flame of Recca, if I did, I would not be writing a fanfiction, but the books instead. Don't sue, get nothing. Yeah. 

**Note + warnings: **  
-**F**luffy, predictable, mushy, probable-OOC warning. Why did I write this? Just want to add more to my collection. Plus the fact I am so in love with  **T**okiya Mikagami. ^_^ Despite the above warnings, still hoping for readers to give a chance, read and review. Thanks!   
-**S**ets after the ending of the anime. I never read the manga [having plans to] so yeah, that's the best I can get.   
-**M**y grammar sucks.   
  


Farewell, New Beginning  
written by: da*mouse  
  


It was just another day, another night. Nothing unusual, nothing special, nothing extraordinary. Besides the fact that the Hokage gang had gathered for a much needed reunion barbeque party, there wasn't anything really particular about the day.

It was certainly normal enough to see Mikagami Tokiya sitting by himself, distanced from his teammates as the others chattered, shouted and yelled at each other merrily. Hanabishi Recca was chasing Koganei Kaoru, shaking his fist at him, being that the latter had cheekily cornered and teased the former's object of affection, Sakoshita Yanagi. Ishijima Domon, as usual, was bugging Kirisawa Fuuko, who was trying her hardest to ward off his unwanted and unpleasant attentions. Morikawa Ganko was setting her puppet on the prowl, tripping up everyone and adding to the merry chaos of festivities. 

Mikagami closed his eyes, and tilted back his head, trying to shut out the noises of the partying, not too far from him. He didn't exactly know why he agreed to join the party; he wasn't one for conversation or socializing. But he found himself agreeing to a persuasive Fuuko when she called him up, and now, he was already regretting his decision. He would rather be at home. Doing something constructive. Then to listen to them yelling, and giving him a migraine to boot. 

_Kids_. 

Of course, it was forgivable for Ganko and Kaoru, but the rest? Positively childish…he would have thought after the tournament, and after a year, they would at least grow up a little. 

He snorted.

They were not like him. They, who had lead virtually carefree lives, and him, who suffered since the tender age of ten years. They, who never really knew the meaning of loss. That, and tragedy, had forced him to grow up, quickly, and beyond his years and against his wishes. Grief and the thirst of revenge aged and matured him, much faster than he would have wanted to. 

And turned him into a bitter, icy young man. Seemingly unfeeling. Freezer-boy, Ice-boy…whatever the names that Fuuko had managed to conjure up for him…they all described him. Fitted him. 

Cold. That he was. 

Unable to feel any sort of deep emotions. 

_Why would I want to feel _any_ emotions? What can they give you? In the end…you always ended up…alone. Along, and hurting. There wasn't anyone in this world that is worth giving for._

_The one that was worth…she was gone. And never will return._

_Will it ever stop hurting? Will there ever be a day, I can open up this cold, cold heart? Is there someone? _

A thought flashed across his mind. A certain someone. A certain…fighter…a certain…wind girl…

_Maybe I want to…but…_

_I can't. _

Ending his own internal monologue, Mikagami tucked his hands behind his head, his eyes still closed. Enjoying his reverie and solitude. 

But not for long. 

"Mi-chan!" 

The all-too familiar voice of the tomboy broke into his thoughts. Sighing inwardly, he sat up, and to see her grinning face just inches from his. He gave a start. "What…?"

Her face drew back. "What are you doing sitting here alone?" Fuuko bounced on the balls of her feet and grabbed his arm. "Come join us! You've not eaten a single piece of chicken, you better help yourself to some before Domon gets to them." 

He very politely shook her hand off his arm. "Thanks, but not thanks." He leaned back against the tree once again, expecting her to leave him alone. 

But she didn't. Instead, she settled down to a more comfortable position, and stretched, looking at the tree branches above her. "This is relaxing, _ne_, Mi-chan?"

"Yeah." Short, brusque. 

She propped herself up on her elbows. "I bet you're just enjoying the scenery around here, _ne_? I never thought that Recca would have such an idea, to have a barbeque at such a wonderful place. But of course, Yanagi helped him…to find this place. I never knew that you enjoy the nature. Do you?" 

He threw her a sideways glance out of the corner of her eye, noting her shapely figure. _For a tomboy, she sure cuts an attractive figure,_ he thought, rather amusedly.

He gave no reply to her question. _Maybe if I ignore her, she'd go away. _

"I love the trees, and the nature." Fuuko chattered. "Just brings me such sense of peace. You know, this sense of being…" she inhaled the fresh air deeply. "…at home." 

Mikagami snickered to himself. "Yeah. You should feel _right_ at home, monkey. Trees and all."

She sat up, her eyes blazing. "Listen, Ice-boy, I came over here because I am making an effort to be nice. But if you're going to dump on me, I think I have better things to do." She stood up, and turned away, but not before he caught a glimpse of hurt in her eyes. 

It surprised him. 

_Seeking me out because she was afraid I'd be lonely? I didn't know that she cared…_Something in him compelled to call her. 

"Hey, Kirisawa."

"What is it?" Her tone was still decidedly unfriendly. 

He stood up. "Want to go for a walk?" His tone was nonchalant. 

She turned around swiftly, an expression of total surprise on her face. Then skepticism settled in. "What, so that you can throw me into the lake?"

Mikagami smirked. "Why would I? To test and see whether could a monkey swim?"  

She clenched her fists, mentally calculating the number of ways she could kill him. 

Then he sighed. "Oh, come on. I am just going to go for a walk, to get some fresh air, you're welcome to join me, if you want, and if you don't, I don't particularly care either." 

_Why is he asking me to join him?_

_Why am I asking her to join me?_

They stood there for a few moments, just looking at each other. 

Mikagami was the first to move. "Don't take all day to make such a simple decision, Kirisawa." He brushed past her, and started down the slope. 

So she made up her mind. "Wait, Ice-boy!" 

-

They walked in silence. Mikagami had his hands in his pockets, walking slightly ahead of her. Fuuko was just looking around her, not really paying attention to the sights around her, rather more on why the Ensui-master had asked her to accompany him. 

_He'd better not try to throw me into the lake!_ She thought fiercely. 

The silence was overwhelming. She didn't think she could bear it anymore, so she opened her mouth to talk, not caring whether he was listening or not. 

"Hey, Mi-chan. Guess what happened just now at the barbeque? You wouldn't believe what that idiot Domon did, he…" 

He stopped walking for a moment. Stopping by a carpet of flowers. Kneeling down, he picked one, and closed his eyes. 

Nee-chan…

He smiled bitterly to himself. No matter how hard he tried, it never stopped hurting. Never. 

The normally loudmouth girl immediately quieted down, looking at Mikagami before her. She knew what he was thinking about. Almost without thinking, she knelt down beside him, and placed her hand on his back, in a comforting way, patting him lightly. 

Then she felt his muscles tensed. Blushing faintly, she immediately withdrew her hand, fearing his displeasure. 

"Sorry…" she muttered almost inaudibly. 

He still knelt by the flowers, his shoulders tensed. The monkey had touched him, but not to slap him, jab him or beat him up in her typical tomboyish way. She touched him…and he could still feel the heat of her hand on his back. 

_Why does, should, it matter?_

He straightened up. "Doesn't matter." He muttered. 

The two of them continued walking. Mikagami didn't initiate conversation, he never would. And Fuuko, lost in her thoughts, was uncharacteristically silent as well. 

_Her touch…was warm. It had been so long, since I felt that. _

_Warmth._

He looked at the tomboyish monkey beside him, hands clasped behind her back, and pursed lips, as if she was deep in thought. Purple bangs fell over her face, obscuring a part of it from his view. 

_Warmth._

"Mi-chan?"

"What is it?"

"I…I was just wondering. That…" Fuuko's voice trailed off. "Never mind." 

He nodded. 

They continued their stroll. 

"She loved flowers." He suddenly said, surprising her, and himself. 

"Ahh…?" 

"Mifuyu…my _Nee-chan_…loved flowers." 

She didn't know what to say. And thought it was perhaps the best to keep her mouth shut. 

He sighed, transported into his own world. "Since I found that out, I have been bringing her flowers for her birthday. Or just any other day. It was worth going 2 miles to that field, getting chased by that damn farmer, just to see her smile after I gave her the flowers. Just to hear her thanks, and to feel like the world's greatest little brother."

"That was how _Nee-chan_ was, to make you feel great for every little thing you'd done. Never lack of encouragement or praise. Or affection…love. And then…" Mikagami clenched his fists. 

_Never…_

"Mi-Chan…"

"When I lost her, I lost my world." He closed his eyes painfully. "God, how I missed her. I still do." 

_Why is he telling me this?_

_She, Mifuyu _nee-chan_, must be an extraordinary person, for this freezer to love her so much. Of course, he hadn't been a freezer back then…but still…darn, now what do I say to him? _

"Mi-chan…" Fuuko struggled for words. 

"If…only…" Mikagami paused. "…everything was different. If only she was still here…but…" 

He didn't know why he was talking about Mifuyu to Fuuko. His older sister was always a closed subject to everyone around him, even to Yanagi, whom he had placed trust and protection. And now, he found that he was talking about his sister to one of the most unlikely people – the purple-haired monkey. 

Maybe he trusted her. Scratch that, he did trust her. He…definitely…did.

He threw her a glance. She was twisting her hands together, muttering to herself incoherently and inaudibly. "Don't say anything. You don't have to. Just listen to me."

She gave a start, and then she nodded. 

"_Nee-chan_ …if only I could have protected her. If only I was strong…then…but…I failed…I…" His voice trailed off. Sorrow etched onto his face. He never stopped remembering, he would never. 

Unthinkingly once again, Fuuko placed an arm around the middle of Mikagami's broad back, and leaned against him, comfortably. She closed her eyes. 

"It's okay. It's all right…" She whispered comfortingly. 

He was startled to find that he didn't mind her nearness. 

In fact, he…almost…welcomed it. He closed his eyes, too, his hand moving, to catch hers in his. 

How long they stayed in that position, they didn't know. 

When they parted, her green orbs met his icy-blue ones. Their eyes held each other. 

He had never felt that way, looking into her eyes.

Neither had she. 

"Mi-chan…"

"Kirisawa, I…"

They moved closer together, closing more of the distance between them. Her eyelids fluttered shut. 

She was so near, he could feel her breath on his lips, fanning across his face. 

Then it happened. He didn't exactly know why he did it, or why he wanted to, but he did it. 

He kissed her. 

And at that exact moment, he felt something in him shifted, something in him changed. Sharp emotions pierced his heart, his heart that he had left so cold, for so long. 

_Warmth._

Her lips were moving gently over his, the tentativeness of a first kiss, the sweetness of it. He placed a hand on the back of her head, as her arms went around his neck, bringing them even closer together.

_Warmth. _

_Love._

_Kirisawa Fuuko. _

His lips were warm, pliant. Tender, tentative. When he kissed her, she knew. She knew what she had been trying to deny…she wanted this.

Him. The freezer. Ice-boy. Mi-chan. Mikagami Tokiya.  

It ended too quickly, for both of them, when they drew apart, slightly breathless. Mikagami's eyes were dark with emotions that she was unable to decipher, and she had a good feeling that she wasn't feeling, looking, too clear-headed either. 

Hastily, she stood up. 

_Where do we go from here? What does it mean to him?_

"Uhhh…we'd…I…get back…" she fumbled over her words, nervously smoothing her hair. She started to turn away from him, when a pair of arms hugged her from behind. 

He rested his chin on top of her head. 

_There is someone worth loving. Worth giving. _

_I found her._

He knew it, he knew it a long time ago, but he refused to see it. 

The pain still throbbed, but it wasn't stabbing at him, at least, it wasn't. 

-

_It's time I stop living in the past… _Nee-chan_…_

_I love you…_

_But I am going to have to let you go…_

And in the evening wind, he felt his sister's soft caress, and heard her voice. 

_Let go…you should have…long time ago…_

_I love you, too…Tokiya…_

-

He released his hold on her, and turned her to face him, resting his forehead against hers. Her head was down, her cheeks flushed. 

For the first time in so many years, Mikagami felt himself smiling. 

Fuuko looked up, and wonder of wonders, the freezer was smiling. She felt her own grin spreading across her face. 

He took her hand. "Come. Let us go back."

She nodded, agreeing. 

Hand in hand, they headed back.

Towards a new beginning, for Mikagami Tokiya, and Kirisawa Fuuko. 

  
-Finis-

  
da*mouse ®  
posted 30th August, 2003  
3.00 a.m.

Urm, okay, this probably is very sappy, but…well…why did I write this? 'Cos if you access my profile, you would notice that I am kinda **fixated** on one kind of anime and one kind of pairing. So I was thinking, while I am so in love with Mikagami and so in love with the Mikagami/Fuuko pairing, why not I write a fic, and add some variety to my list? Yeah, so this is what comes out. *wince*

I didn't really finish watching the entire anime, I skipped some parts, but fair to say I watched a huge amount and understood the story, but I guess I didn't really have much depth on the characters…[skips off to the manga]…so really sorry for any totally unforgivable OOC scenarios in the story. 

I should've taken up on that Hotohori-fic urge. Sadly I didn't. Yeah, going off base.

Anyway, review/comment/flame/whatever that's constructive. If this sucks, at least be rest assured I won't be writing another Mikagami/Fuuko fic. ^_^ but feedback is always valuable. 

But please don't flame me just because you hate this pairing. I happen to like it, and that's that. Yup. 


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